Pea Soup with Fresh Mint
Yield 10 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 leek, sliced crosswise
- 2 celery stalks, sliced crosswise
- 8 cups water
- 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon Atlantic sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, leek, and celery, and sauté for 5 minutes, until brown. Add water and increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add peas and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Mix in mint, then transfer to a food processor, or use an immersion blender, and puree until smooth, add more water if thinner consistency is desired. Return soup to pot, and heat gently. Add salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with mint leaves before serving.
Adaptations
Go Basic:
- Substitute the leeks with mild sweet onions or green onions.
- Substitute the peas with any legume that you like for a variety of lentil and bean soups.
Challenge your skills:
- Take a cup of the soup and reduce it for a delicious pea and mint sauce, which you can serve on pasta, rice, or fish.
Cultural Adaptation:
- Replace mint with 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, 1 teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon garam masala and 1 teaspoon lemon juice for an Indian twist.
Notes
Home cooking learning points:
- Batch cook the soup and freeze, soups can be frozen and defrost easily without any impact on their quality.
- Take a container of frozen soup for lunch.
Copyright Chef Coaching Program, Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School
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